Euphorbia plant named ‘Inneuphhel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euphorbia  plant named ‘Inneuphhel’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; red-colored developing foliage and green and pale yellow variegated mature foliage; resistance to Powdery Mildew; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Inneuphhel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEuphorbia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name Inneuphhel.

The new Euphorbia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theEuphorbia hybrida cultivar Efanthia, not patented. The new Euphorbia wasdiscovered and selected from within a population of plants of thecultivar Efanthia in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany inMay, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince May, 2001 in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the unique featuresof this new Euphorbia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Inneuphhel have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Inneuphhel’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Inneuphhel’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Red-colored developing foliage and green and pale yellow        variegated mature foliage.    -   4. Resistance to Powdery Mildew.    -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Euphorbia differed primarily from plants of the parent, thecultivar Efanthia in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia grew slower than plants of the        cultivar Efanthia.    -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia had green and pale yellow        variegated leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Efanthia had        green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiacultivar Imprefant, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,908. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of thenew Euphorbia differed from plants of the cultivar Imprefant in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia grew slower than plants of the        cultivar Imprefant.    -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia had green and pale yellow        variegated leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Imprefant had        burgundy-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Euphorbia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalleaves of ‘Inneuphhel’.

The photograph at that bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘Inneuphhel’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoornursery during the spring and summer under full sun conditions with daytemperatures ranging from 10° C. to 32° C. and night temperaturesranging from 2° to 21° C. After planting rooted cuttings, plants weregrown for about 17 weeks with three plants per gallon containers. Plantswere pinched one time. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia hybrida cultivar Inneuphhel.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Euphorbia    hybrida cultivar Efanthia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant            habit; plants mostly upright; inverted triangle; perennial            subshrub. Moderate growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about ten lateral            branches develop per plant; dense and bushy plant form.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant diameter (single plant).—About 23 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Young stems, 146C; mature stems,            185A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate to whorled; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 144A, towards the            margins, 145C; overlain with close to 53A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 147C overlain with close to 53A.            Fully developed foliage, upper surface: Center, 147B;            towards the margins, 22D; at the margin, 48A. Mature            foliage, lower surface: Center, 148B; towards the margins,            10C; at the margin 48A. Venation, upper surface: 147C.            Venation, lower surface: 148D.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            147D. Color, lower surface: 147C.-   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on    plants of the new Euphorbia.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have been    observed to be resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new    Euphorbia not been observed to be resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Euphorbia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euphorbia are tolerant to    temperatures as low as −6° C. and as high as 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘Inneuphhel’, as illustratedand described.